This is episode 50, and today Chris is joined by Taylor Goldsmith - standout singer, songwriter and guitarist for the amazing band Dawes. Their new album 'Oh Brother' just dropped, and Taylor breaks down the vision and songwriting process behind the project. He gets into the evolution of his process over the years, and how he's found his voice as a writer, leading to more personal, impactful songs. Taylor also talks about his approach to productivity, balancing the desire to have a wide knowledg...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 50
This week on the podcast, Chris is joined by Grammy winning sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell, the dynamic duo behind roots rock powerhouse Larkin Poe. Early in their career, Rebecca and Megan were 2/3 of the Lovell Sisters, a progressive acoustic band that was making waves in the bluegrass world before changing their sound, rebranding and starting their journey as Larkin Poe. Now well established in the blues/rock world, they are building a loyal fanbase drawn to their incredible musicianship, v...
Sep 24, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 5Ep. 49
Chris' guest on episode 48 is Israel Nebeker, lead singer and songwriter of Oregon indie folk gem Blind Pilot. After an 8 year break between albums, Blind Pilot is back with an excellent new record, 'In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain.' Israel talks about that long break, his challenges writing new songs, how he got through the writing dry spell and ultimately how the new album came together. In the intro, Chris talks about the power of the mind and our ability to overcome obstacles and achieve ...
Sep 11, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 48
On today's episode of Inside the Musician's Brain, Chris is joined by musical icon Ani DiFranco. Ani discusses her experience performing on Broadway as Persephone in the hit Anais Mitchell musical Hadestown. She also breaks down her new album, Unprecedented Sh!t, from the songwriting to the shift in production and sound. Ani shares some great thoughts on the power of stories, which can entrap us or set us free depending on how we understand them, and she also talks about her upcoming book, Show ...
Aug 27, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 47
Episode 46 of Inside the Musician’s Brain features standout soul singer-songwriter JJ Grey. JJ just released his first album in almost 10 years, ‘Olustee.’ The long hiatus happened naturally, as did the flood of songwriting that followed, and JJ takes us inside that process. He also talks in depth about his spiritual journey, the realizations he’s made along the way, and the role they play in his life and his art. This is a fascinating talk loaded with honesty and insight from a truly unique art...
Aug 13, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 5Ep. 46
Chris' guest on episode 45 is legendary singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter. After connecting on their shared love of dogs, this conversation explores many different aspects of Mary Chapin's long, successful career in music as a gifted writer, singer and performer. She breaks down her craft and reflects on the evolution of her career, including some great perspectives on how to keep inspiration flowing over many years, and the connective power of music. Mary Chapin has much wisdom to share! ...
Jul 30, 2024•57 min•Season 5Ep. 45
Episode 44 of Inside the Musician's Brain features an interview with the amazing Cris Jacobs. Cris is an outstanding singer/songwriter from Baltimore, MD, whose new album, 'One of These Days,' is already making waves. This talk goes deep into the creation of the album, including Cris' personal journey of reframing his relationship with music to rediscover the joy, overcome writer's block and put out something authentic and powerful. He also takes us inside his writing process and the meaning beh...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 44
Today's episode features an interview with Amigo the Devil, a truly unique artist who straddles the line between folk and heavy metal with his banjo, his powerful voice, and his incredible original songs. Amigo (AKA Danny Kiranos) has built a fiercely loyal following with his brutally honest and sometimes dark perspectives that give a voice to what many experience in life. He takes us inside his unfiltered process, with a clear look at how he cuts through the noise and self-doubt to get to what ...
Jul 02, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 43
On today's episode, Chris is joined by Grammy winner and two-time IBMA fiddle player of the year, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. Known mainly for her work as a member of Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Bronwyn is one of the best fiddle players on the acoustic scene. She does an amazing job of taking us inside her learning process, and her strategies for improving. This is really good stuff! Bronwyn also gives an in depth look at her excellent new solo album, 'I Built a World,' which features her as a s...
Jun 18, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 5Ep. 42
Inside the Musician's Brain is back for Season 5, and joining Chris to kick things off is one of the titans of acoustic/roots music, Mr. Jerry Douglas. Now well established as the greatest dobro player ever, Jerry fought prejudices against the instrument in the early part of his career, ultimately establishing its place in bluegrass forever more. He takes us through his early collaborations with JD Crowe, Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, and other bluegrass legends - a seminal time for the growth and ev...
Jun 04, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 5Ep. 41
On this week's episode, Chris chats with Nashville based guitar master Daniel Donato. After cutting his teeth at the honkytonks on lower Broadway, Donato is now out on his own and taking the world by storm with his new sound, 'Cosmic Country.' He takes us inside his world with an in depth look at his songwriting, his life and his vision for what's to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 40
On today's episode, Chris is joined by The Milk Carton Kids - a successful duo with a sound and energy that's all their own. Much of the conversation revolves around the making of their brilliant new album, I Only See the Moon. After completing an initial version of the album, the band made the decision to scrap much of what they had and dig deeper to create something more powerful. Kenneth and Joey describe how that journey unfolded - an inspiring story about what makes any form of expression t...
Aug 22, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 39
Today Chris is joined by the one and only Mike Gordon - bassist, singer & songwriter for the legendary rock band Phish. Mike goes deep into his musical journey, his peak experiences on and off stage and the making of his excellent new solo album, Flying Games. He also gives us an inside look at how Phish stays synchronous and continues to evolve after 40 years as one of the most influential bands in music history. This is an expansive interview that’s packed with inspiring experiences and ad...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 32 min•Season 4Ep. 38
Alison Brown is a world-class banjoist, record label owner, and all around trailblazer in the music industry. Her performing/recording career has produced numerous amazing albums, collaborations, appearances and accolades. She's also created a successful record label (Compass Records) and become a leader in the music industry. Alison's excellent new solo album 'On Banjo' features an all star cast of musicians including the legendary Steve Martin, and covers a wide range of musical styles with ea...
Jul 25, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Sam Bush is one of the all-time legends of acoustic music. From his work with New Grass Revival, to Strength in Numbers and his prolific solo career, Sam has set the standard for mandolin in modern day roots music. He's also a gifted singer and writer as well, with a long and storied career that intersects with so many titans of music. Chris talks to Sam about the different phases of his career, his impressions of where acoustic music is headed, the key to an authentic performance and so much mo...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 4Ep. 36
Lindsay Lou is one of the hottest up-and-comers on the roots music scene. She's a powerhouse singer who covers a wide range of styles and has performed with countless artists as a special guest in recent years. Her new album, Queen of Time, puts her in the spotlight as a singer and as a songwriter as well. The record has a beautiful concept, incorporating recordings of conversations with her grandmother, all of which Lindsay unpacks in detail during this conversation. She also discusses her deve...
Jun 13, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 35
In their more than 20 years as a band, The Decemberists have established themselves as an influential indie-rock band with an expansive and eclectic catalog of excellent music. Chris Funk's multi-instrumental talents are at the center of their sound. Chris also works as a producer and has been a fixture on the Portland, OR music scene for years. He takes us through the seismic shifts in the music industry during their time as a band, as well as his philosophies on producing, songwriting and much...
May 30, 2023•58 min•Season 4Ep. 34
Chris Wood is a musical hero. In this talk he gets deep into his experience with music and all he's learned over his long, successful career playing everything from cutting edge jazz with MMW to some of today's best roots rock with The Wood Brothers. He unpacks the challenge of staying present, in music and life in general, and speaks very articulately about what he focuses on to stay in the moment, and stay connected to the truest version of himself. This interview contains some real gold! Thes...
May 16, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 4Ep. 33
Episode 32 features an interview with the amazing Rachael Price, who is already making her mark as one of the best singers of her generation. Known mainly for her work with Lake Street Dive, she takes us inside her retro side project, Rachael and Vilray, as well as discussing LSD's rise to success and their evolving process of writing and recording, and the myriad challenges and inspiration along the way. Chris also discusses the myth of 'overnight success,' and looks at the kind of perspective ...
May 03, 2023•56 min•Season 4Ep. 32
Inside the Musician’s Brain is back for season 4! In this episode, Chris talks with MC Taylor, the man behind Hiss Golden Messenger. MC is a transcendent singer/songwriter, and Hiss has been gaining major notoriety in recent years for their blend of beautiful, timeless songs with vintage rock sounds. The conversation ranges from the process behind their records, to the challenges of staying inspired and the goal/meaning of a great song. MC is a prolific artist, and is incredibly thoughtful when ...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 31
This week on Inside the Musician's Brain, Chris is joined by guitar master Bryan Sutton. For years, Bryan has been one of the most sought after session musicians in Nashville, appearing on albums by Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Béla Fleck and many more. Eventually he stepped out as a solo artist, putting out a number of exceptional albums under his own name. In addition to being a guitar virtuoso, Bryan is also an incredibly deep thinker when it comes to music, learnin...
Jul 06, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 30
Episode 29 of Inside the Musician's Brain features rising musical star Madison Cunningham. Madison has quickly been making a name for herself as an exceptional singer, songwriter and guitar player. She takes us through her unique introduction to music at an early age, her influences, her process, and how she dealt with the untimely shut down of 2020. Now Madison is back with a vengeance, and her second album, Revealer, is on the way this fall. She breaks down the inspiration behind this new reco...
Jun 15, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 29
On this episode of Inside the Musician's Brain, Chris' guest is rock and soul powerhouse Maggie Rose. Maggie is an inspiration in so many ways, with an amazing story of perseverance and evolution through the different phases of her career. She discusses the obstacles that country music presented early on, and her transformation as an artist in the wake of those obstacles. Maggie also breaks down her latest album, Have A Seat, and the inspiration that world famous Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, A...
May 17, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 28
Chris' guest for Episode 27 is the talented and prolific Cory Wong. Some of you may know Cory as a member of the trendsetting funk/soul collective Vulfpeck. But in recent years he has also struck out on his own, releasing a staggering amount of music (11 albums in 2 years!) as well as some of the highest quality music video content out there. The man is a machine, and the music is stellar! Chris and Cory talk about the keys to staying productive, the process behind Cory's expansive video/audio s...
May 03, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 27
One this episode of Inside the Musician's Brain, Chris talks to up-and-coming bass badass Karina Rykman. Karina has been playing bass with Marco Benevento's band in recent years, but is poised to strike out under her own name, with a highly anticipated debut album on the way. She breaks down the vision and process behind her new music, as well as the story behind her musical journey that got her to where she is now. Karina also takes us inside her experience jamming with Phish on stage at MSG le...
Apr 19, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 26
On this episode of 'Inside the Musician's Brain,' Chris sits down with Greensky Bluegrass to take an in depth look at their new album, 'Stress Dreams.' Learn what these songs are about and how they came to life as each member of the band breaks down one of the songs on their album. It's a fascinating look inside the creative process and the experiences that drive the songwriting for one of the most successful modern string bands on the scene today. Chris also talks about the Stringdusters recent...
Apr 05, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 3Ep. 25
On this week's episode, Chris is joined by Nate Hilts, a member of The Dead South, a four-piece acoustic band from Saskatchewan. The band's unique take on bluegrass has made them a live act not to be missed. Nate and Chris talk about the band's 4th album, "Easy Listening for Jerks, Parts I & II," which has been described as "Carter Family meets Addams Family." They also discuss Nate's musical background and journey, and the touring and live shows of The Dead South. Inside the Musician’s Brai...
Mar 22, 2022•57 min•Season 3Ep. 24
This week on Inside The Musician’s Brain, you get the opportunity to take a leap into not one, not two, but five musician’s brains! That’s right, today’s episode features Chris talking with the other members of The Infamous Stringdusters to introduce their new album, Toward the Fray. During their conversations, Chris and the band take us through the album track by track and give us a behind the scenes look at their songwriting process, sometimes even writing over Zoom, and what it was like to re...
Mar 01, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Season 3Ep. 23
Today, Chris has the opportunity to sit down and talk with bluegrass legend and master of the banjo Béla Fleck, who just released a new album titled My Bluegrass Heart. The two take an in depth look at this album, as well as taking a trip to the past to find out how Béla's career unfolded and he lets Chris in on some of his artistic process that has led him to be the legend he is. Béla Fleck is best known for his work with the bands New Grass Revival and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones Fleck has w...
Feb 15, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Hello and welcome to the third season of Inside The Musician’s Brain! We are thrilled to be back, especially with our first guest of the season, Grammy award-winning songwriter, musician, and Chris’ old friend Aoife O’Donovan. Along with releasing three critically-acclaimed solo albums, Aoife is the co-founder of the bands I’m With Her and Crooked Still, she is the featured vocalist on The Goat Rodeo Sessions with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Chris Thile, and she was a part of the radio variety ...
Feb 01, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 21
